Elsa Obus, Ph.D.

Dr. Elsa Obus is a licensed psychologist. She received her doctoral training from Tulane University’s School Psychology PhD program in New Orleans, LA and completed her clinical internship at Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), a community mental health clinic in Yonkers, NY.

During her time in New Orleans, Elsa provided individual and group therapy to children, teens, and adults experiencing anxiety, depression, stress and trauma, emotion regulation difficulties, and disruptive behaviors in schools, university clinics, and community mental health centers. She has also provided behavioral consultation in preschool, elementary, and middle schools, as well as both school- and clinic-based neuropsychological and psychoeducational assessment.

A particular specialty of Elsa’s is working with youth and families experiencing stressful life events, transitions, and changes. She has supported individuals and families through experiences of death and bereavement, divorce and blending of families, incarceration, addiction, and other significant life and family stressors. At WJCS, Elsa’s practice predominantly focused on providing individual and group therapy to clients across the lifespan who had experienced grief, loss, or trauma. In addition to therapeutic work, Elsa provides community-based workshops on these topics and has partnered with groups like the Plaza Jewish Community Chapel and Her Migrant Hub to support community healing from grief and trauma.

Elsa’s therapeutic approach is informed by Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and psychodynamic modalities. Through this integrated approach, Elsa is able to help clients explore the impact of past experiences and patterns on current behavior, while also assisting them in developing skills for coping and healing in the here and now. While Elsa prioritizes the use of evidence-based practice and methodologies, she also welcomes creativity and curiosity by inviting clients to share their passions and interests in therapy. In the past, this has included a broad range of activities that helped youth and families connect with their creative, compassionate, and courageous parts including playing guitars, writing poetry, plays, and songs, drawing comics or manga, doing art projects, engaging in full-family games, and even meeting family pets!

Elsa works from an ecological perspective, which means recognizing that no one lives in a vacuum. Instead, interactions with family systems, schools, communities, and broader society impact how kids and adults feel about themselves. Elsa creates a safe space for individuals to explore their identities and interactions with these systems and work toward greater understanding of themselves and harmony in relationships. She prioritizes engaging in trauma-informed, LGBTQIA+-affirming, anti-racist, and neurodiversity-affirming practice.

For additional clinical content written by Elsa, check out these links!

• Grieving During the Holidays